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History · Belleville

26% of Belleville’s homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1924 on.

0on the National Register
26%homes built before 1940
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What stands out about Belleville’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Belleville are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19243 editions of the USGS map, 1924 to 1973. Watch Belleville change.Old housesHalf of Belleville’s homes were built before 1958.
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Start Belleville’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Belleville’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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On the map

Belleville on the map, 1924 to 1973

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Belleville. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Belleville on the 1924 USGS mapBelleville on the 1966 USGS mapBelleville on the 1973 USGS map1924Lewistown sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Belleville.

The story

How Belleville came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Belleville.

Read it all →

Amish settled in the area by 1791. Mennonites arrived soon after and the two groups dominate the area's population. Though some Amish churches in the area allow members to drive motorized vehicles, most local Amish drive horse-powered buggies. The color of the buggy tops, yellow, white, or black, indicate the owner's church membership.

The auction in Belleville is a popular destination every Wednesday. Locally grown produce, homemade baked goods, and farm-raised animals are available. A flea market is held at the same time.

Children attend schools in the Mifflin County School District.

Belleville is the place where World champion Horseshoe pitcher Darle Esh was born. He was classed in the top 3% in the world.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Belleville, decade by decade

Today6 recent
Buggy model horse2016Buggy model horseBuggy model horse Belleville PA (cropped)2016Buggy model horse Belleville PA (cropped)Belleville PA Post Office 170042016Belleville PA Post Office 17004Belleville PA Community Center2016Belleville PA Community CenterSpecial Unit 24-1 Belleville Vol. Fire Co2013Special Unit 24-1 Belleville Vol. Fire CoBelleville PA Engine 242013Belleville PA Engine 24

Questions about Belleville’s history

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What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

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Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (6), Wikipedia and U.S. Geological Survey historical maps. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.